


Keen Minds and Ardent Spirits

by TheTartWitch



Series: Steampunk Roses (Harry Potter Style) [2]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Chamber of Secrets? What Chamber of Secrets?, End of Year Two: Chamber of Secrets, Gen, Gilderoy and Dumbles do illegal things, Harry Potter does the responsible thing for once in his life, Harry returns to Hogwarts, Luna Lovegood Special Guest Star, Manipulative Dumbledore, Ms. Figg is an enabler, No bashing though, Ominous Foreshadowing, Ron? What Ron?, Slytherin!Harry, Snape is not a complete arse, Steampunk au sort of, Suspicious Dumbledore is suspicious, YOU DID IT, Year Two: Chamber of Secrets, and goes to the authorities for a problem he can't handle on his own, good job Harry, i tried to keep it clean of any of that, life goes on - Freeform, say hello to Ginny Weasley, she arrives, we're so proud
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-10-10
Updated: 2017-11-07
Packaged: 2019-01-08 06:02:14
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 16
Words: 3,132
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12248436
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheTartWitch/pseuds/TheTartWitch
Summary: Harry returns to Hogwarts for a second year.





	1. Returning to Hogwarts

**Author's Note:**

> Here begins Chamber of Secrets, Steampunk style. Welcome back! :D

The summer isn’t as dreadful as it could have been. All his letters have been successfully routed to Ms. Figg’s, who is so proud of him she bakes her special peanut butter cookies. They sit around eating them and he reads his letters, staying in touch with the latest gossip and factual things. Malfoy’s sent a package that turns out to contain a package of sweets (apparently he knows the date of Harry’s birthday, though Harry’s certain he’s never told anyone but Ms. Figg) from the magical world, which is nice on the quieter afternoons, but the fact of the matter is that every single Ravenclaw went home with their beast and now their parents and relatives are willing to pay through the nose for one after hearing the results of all the research conducted by Harry’s spies. It’s amazingly good for business.

Life at Privet Drive is not so great. The Dursleys are terrified of Lilla, who made it no secret she despises them, and were very close to locking his school things away in his cupboard (no matter where they’ve moved him, that cupboard will always be his) before he escaped to stuff them away at Ms. Figg’s. He does his summer homework there between projects and earns the callouses on his hands from things other than sweeping, dusting, and gardening. When he goes home at night Petunia glares from the kitchen where she’s had to take up cooking again. Dudley spends most of this time in his bedroom. At dinner, he stares into his plate with wide eyes, as though surprised the mashed potatoes is still on his fork and not already in his mouth. Once, Harry reaches innocently for the salt shaker and Dudley shrieks as though he’s been mortally wounded. Harry jerks in surprise and narrowly avoids dumping the entire thing down his cousin’s tent of a shirt.


	2. Boarding the Train

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ms. Figg is a good friend, and Harry boards the Express again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This fic is finished. I have nearly finished Prisoner of Azkaban.

When September 1st rolls around, Ms. Figg gives him a ride to London. She glares at Vernon until the man agrees, stubbornly and turning redder by the second. The drive to London is loud and happy and there’s none of the tense, awkward silences of Vernon’s driving. 

Before he can board the train, however, she hands him a journal. 

“Write to me. Even if it’s just where you’re going, funny things your friends have said, or questions you have about the homework.” He nods, silent, and smiles, and then they hug and he boards the train.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Don't forget to comment your thoughts or questions!


	3. Potter's Compartment (As Seen On TV)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ravenclaws and Weasleys invade Harry's compartment on the Express.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ginny is introduced this chapter. Protective Ravenclaws are protective.

His Ravenclaw “court” makes short work of finding his compartment. Several of them have brought first-year siblings. Percy has brought his youngest sibling, Ginevra “Ginny” Weasley. Harry smiles from the pile of Ravenclaws shored up around him, studying and whispering furiously over their notes. 

“Hi,” he says, and Lilla’s head bobs up from his shoulders where she’s coiled to hiss at an encroaching Ravenclaw boy, who readjusts himself without even looking. Ginny’s eyes are very wide. “I’m Harry Potter. Percy’s told me about you, some.” 

She squeaks a greeting. Percy sighs. They head out for another compartment; Harry’s Ravenclaw bodyguards have arrived and they’re staring suspiciously at the Gryffindor and “unaffiliated” student in their midst.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know in canon Percy isn't very close to his family (which makes me both sad and angry on his behalf because just because he's capable of respecting rules and recognizing authority doesn't mean he doesn't love or need his family guys he's not an absolute asshole), but in this fic he's gonna get closer to Ginny, and hopefully by the end of the series Percy will actually have familial connections??   
> Maybe it's weird, but I tend to have way too much sympathy for characters other people hate?? Severus and Percy are my favorites even above Harry Potter, despite being a lot older than me and wildly greasy. Feel free to hit me up in the comments to discuss this. :)


	4. Carriages

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Harry and Co. take the carriages.

Harry, Lilla, and his Ravenclaw guards don’t have to take the boats this year as second years, so they leave the first years to watch enviously as they climb aboard the carriages provided by Hogwarts. Supposedly they pull themselves, but hoofprints appear in the dust below the carriage, so Harry isn’t sure he believes that. Percy, spy in the Gryffindor camp as he is, doesn’t take Harry’s carriage. Malfoy shoved his way on, gracefully of course, but once inside he sits in silence as Harry makes conversation with his Hufflepuff gathering.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I need a beta for a Percy Weasley after-the-war fic that I've lost direction for... so if you're willing, please let me know!


	5. Year Two Sorting

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Sorting is very confusing for many people.

Once they reach Hogwarts, they are shuffled into the Great Hall to sit, make conversation, and await the first years’ arrival from the boats. Harry sits at Slytherin table with Lilla, among the fruits of his summer labors and their Slytherin owners, and is immediately swamped with Ravenclaws and Hufflepuffs with summer gossip they hadn’t managed to impart before. The Slytherins watch jealously; within one year he’s created a better information system than most achieve in their lives. The new students are Sorted; the new Ravenclaws are escorted over to their table with an air of eagerness. They are introduced to the trade of beast for secrets. Some already have beasts; they are the ones from the wealthier, less safe families. Many of them are swept up in the Ravenclaw flow anyway. It isn’t terrible to have Harry’s favor, Harry’s attention, and he’ll freely share his secrets with them in exchange for theirs. The new Gryffindors are inducted under a whisper of worry and irritation. The Hufflepuffs are all smiling carefully at each other, gathering information for the friendships they’ll form soon enough. The Slytherins watch Harry’s power base grow even more.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Foreshadowing? Hm...


	6. The Chamber of Secrets has been opened

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> We're moving quickly now. The Chamber of Secrets has, apparently, been opened.

Letters arrive at the first dinner, from graduated students now living on their own or with their parents. They are a spider’s web of information, catching everything of the outside world, and Harry is the spider. They tell him of seeing Lucius Malfoy slip a diary into the Weasley girl’s things. They tell him of people unable to get onto the Express for some reason. They tell him things about the Wizarding government that he’ll need to know for the sale of his beasts. 

In exchange, they are the first to know about the Heir of Slytherin’s return, and the opening of the Chamber of Secrets. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This fic is going to go a lot faster than the first one, so just expect that. Also, I am seriously looking for a beta for my Percy Weasley isn't a dick fic... please feel free to apply. You'd just need to give me an email address or confidential way of contacting you and an honest opinion/thoughts on what I should improve. Thanks!


	7. I guess, at this point, we're all just really lucky Rita Skeeter hasn't figured out how to hide in the bushes next to Harry all the time

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Harry asks Ginny some questions and receives some answers and a diary.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Heeeeeeerrrrreeeeee's GINNY!!!!! :)   
> i love this gurl so much guys, so much

Harry meets Ginny under his tree. The Court is gossiping as it does best and trading study secrets, and the other Gryffindors watch curiously, helplessly, as they draw her in to the center. As they loiter on the outer edges, Harry confronts her about Lucius Malfoy’s diary. 

“What is it, Ginny?” He asks, hands tinkering with the makings of a small hare. Her eyes are drawn to it, as are many of the Ravenclaws’. They still have not figured out his secret. “Why did he give it to you?”

It’s obvious enough it does something. Her eyes have hollowed out. She looks like he did before Ms. Figg invited him into her garage: backed into a corner, but nearly entirely helpless in the face of it. 

She breathes out slowly, eyes suddenly away from him. 

“...it writes back,” she says quietly, tears bristling in the back of her throat and thick in her voice. “I think… I think I’m losing my mind, and no one will listen to me. I tried to tell Percy, but he told me not to tell anyone about it. What do I do? Who do I tell?”

Harry’s hands pause over his hare. One of them goes to rest on hers. “You can tell me,” he tells her, “and _I’ll_ do something about it. You don’t deserve to be scared of yourself, especially not at Hogwarts.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, so:  
> 1\. Harry doesn't need to open the Chamber this time, so there's no real idea that he's a parselmouth or anything like that. I mean, he knows, but he doesn't know the real social repercussions like he does in canon, where everyone literally cowers in terror because he can talk to snakes.   
> 2\. This fic is beginning to have a theme: Harry adopts literally everyone and in exchange they hand him pieces of the world on a silver platter and tell him secrets. Eventually he'll end up with the entire thing!  
> 3\. This is what I meant by the fic being faster paced than Steam & Gears. The climax is sooner and not as exciting, though there is a scene coming up that involves Dumbledore, so. Whoopee.   
> 4\. Take from this what you will at this point (it all becomes clearer later in this fic), but Dumbledore is not active in PoA at all. I think he's maybe got one scene, and it isn't at Hogwarts if it exists at all.


	8. Luna!!!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Luna's guest appearance (unfortunately her only one in this fic). Red_Griffin's prize from Steam & Gears. tigerist, you still haven't responded with YOUR request... *wink*

The Ravenclaw to tell him of the diary’s existence (albeit in a roundabout way, with references to magical phenomena he’s never heard of and others deny the existence of) is a first year by the name of Luna Lovegood. The first day he catches the other young Ravenclaws calling her ‘Loony’ and stealing her shoes to charm them into trees or onto rooftops, he thunders into the ears of the elder Ravenclaws, who set the younger ones straight. Harry Potter doesn’t tolerate bullying, not at Hogwarts, and not for telling stories no one believes that are ultimately harmless or doing odd things that make sense to  _ you _ for no apparent reason. They’re at Hogwarts, for Merlin’s sake, a literal school of  _ magic _ ,  _ witchcraft _ , and  _ wizardry _ . The students ought to be able to handle someone who’s a little strange.

He pulls Luna aside sometime that week and presents her with a beast: a nargle, small and colored based on her descriptions. He had gotten an older student to charm it to change color based on temperature, temperament, and Luna’s moods before building it a locket of clustered mistletoe leaves to live inside. She smiles dreamily at him; he takes it to mean she is happy, and offers to study with her under his tree any time she’d like. They part friends, and he vows to keep an eye out for her in the future.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We are approaching the end of this fic. Fear not, dear readers!


	9. whelp, it appears that Harry has found some terrible dangerous artefact! whatever shall he do??

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Harry gets his "report" on the diary back and decides to be a responsible human being. Snape is a dick but (for me at least) understandably so, and probably not as much as he could be.

With the diary in his hands, the knowledge of how to use it, and the ability to do something about where it came from, Harry sends out the feelers among his spies. What object could influence a living human’s minds in this way? What object could contain its own intelligence? Answers were scarce until one of his oldest Ravenclaw informants happened across his Slytherin father inebriated and squirreled the information out of him: only the darkest magic, the putting of a piece of your soul in something else, could create such a thing. He then received a three hour lecture on never attempting such a thing, for it would distort his mind and body and bring shame upon his family forever onwards, but he considered it worth it.

Well. Harry certainly wasn’t going to keep something so terrible in his own rooms, and he couldn’t very well give it back to Ginny. She still came by to speak to him every once in a while and looked much better now that the diary (“Tom”, as she’d called it once before paling dramatically) was no longer in her mind. Coincidentally, there hadn’t been any more petrifications since Ginny had given up the diary. 

What to do? He didn’t want to keep it, having seen the effects in Ginny’s health after giving the thing up, but he didn’t want to bother the Headmaster for it. The man was rumored to be incredibly powerful, so he probably dealt with things like this all the time. Dragging him into yet another issue seemed like it would be rude. So. Head of House it was. 

After dinner that night, he marched a squadron of attending Ravenclaws down to the dungeons and led them to Snape’s office door. That part wouldn’t get him in trouble; Professor Snape’s office was required to be available to any student who might need him. 

“Well? Come inside already,” Professor Snape summoned him impatiently with a wave of his hand from his desk. The Ravenclaws were not permitted to enter; this was Harry and Ginny’s personal matter, and Ginny, as a Gryffindor, had elected to not come. She was rationally fearful of Professor Snape and valued not getting her ear chewed off by an angry and generally caustic professor. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I LOVE SNAPE  
> *clears throat*  
> so as I was saying, Severus Snape and Percy Weasley are apparently thought to be awful people??? but I love them??? like my own children???  
> ahem (to quote Madam Frog)
> 
> ALSO ALSO ALSO  
> FROM THIS POINT ON CHAPTERS GET LONGER (FOR THIS FIC AT LEAST)


	10. Telling Snape

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Harry continues with the responsible thing. Severus is very upset and confused, but he is going to get to the bottom of this!

Detailing what he knew of the diary’s abilities and what his spies had learned before presenting the diary caused Professor Snape’s face to pale nearly out of existence, the way Ginny’s had after she’d said its name. Harry is (nearly inaudible but for the acerbic growl of the words) thanked for his consideration of the matter before being shoved verbally back into the hall. The Ravenclaws receive a thumbs-up, and life continues on in such a fashion. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> short chappie dudes.   
> Personal story time: My school's GSA is having their Halloween party tonight and I was going to go as Shaggy from Scooby Doo but my mom stole my khaki pants and is wearing them to work!!! So instead I'll be going as me but wearing a shiny cape with gears on it and being Gear Man or something, idk  
> The party's really early because all the other clubs have scheduled theirs really close to actual Halloween so this was the only day we could get the room. :)


	11. Beginning of the end (but not what you think)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ginny meets with the Headmaster and reports to Harry; everybody knows but the reg ed teachers.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Should I post any extra bits at the end of this fic?  
> Like  
> 1\. who has what beast so far  
> 2\. who Harry's allies are so far  
> or anything else you guys can think of...???  
> Just wanting ideas cuz I posted something for last fic and was thinking I could do that for this one too??

Ginny is called to the Headmaster’s office later that week. She tells Harry about it on the lawn, less mindful of eavesdropping Ravenclaws and helpful Hufflepuff ears than she would have been before with her new hare, Gwendolyn, allowing herself to be pet. They listen attentively as she details the Headmaster’s concern for her mind and how they’d asked her to visit Madame Pomphrey to be sure nothing was lingering that could harm her later. How the Headmaster had seemed disconcerted when she mentioned Harry’s involvement, but hadn’t really said anything of substance about it. How Professor Snape had been in the room the entire time, along with Professor McGonagall, and how his eyes had pinched when she described Harry’s actions as her pseudo-psychologist. They’d wanted her to tell Harry to visit the Headmaster’s office that week when he had time, to hear his side of the story. After that, the story appeared to be over, and the Ravenclaws bent heads together to gossip amongst themselves and spread the news school-wide.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So keep in mind that at this point, only  
> 1\. Harry  
> 2\. the Ravenclaws  
> 3\. Ginny  
> 4\. Professor Snape  
> 5\. Professor McGonagall  
> and  
> 6\. Headmaster Dumbledore  
> know about the diary and details. That's an important point!!! :D


	12. Interview with Dumbledore

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Harry meets with Dumbledore, Snape and McGonagall.

The meeting goes about as well as expected. Harry is expected to detail how he knew Ginny had acquired the diary, how he approached the issue,  _ why  _ he approached the issue at all, and what he knows about the item in question.

As you might guess, that is not exactly the easiest thing to explain. How did he know Ginny had the diary? His spies told him. (Now Dumbledore had to hear how, exactly, Mr. Potter, you acquired  _ spies  _ of all things?) He’d gained spies by listening to Hermione and giving her what she needed - a friend who wouldn’t abandon or ridicule her - and the Ravenclaws had found out and proposed a deal. It hadn’t even been his idea. How had he approached Ginny? In a public setting with people around that she knew weren’t out to get her. He’d even asked her brothers, the twins, to hang around in case she needed an easy getaway or felt uncomfortable. It hadn’t been necessary in the end: she’d needed someone to talk to desperately, and knew from the train that Percy trusted him. He’d convinced her to give him the diary and let him deal with it. (Dumbledore: “Why would  _ you  _ want the diary, dear boy?”) Because she was obviously suffering? It could have been simple homesickness and paranoia, but even then the placebo effect of taking away what seemed to be causing her worries could have done her some good. He hadn’t opened the diary or even unwrapped it unless it was to describe it to the Ravenclaws on the case (which was to say, all of them. They were incredibly curious about this. It could come up in their own personal defense, after all). 

He approached the issue because his spies had mentioned Lucius and Arthur had mutual animosity and wasn’t it odd, Mr. Malfoy slipping a book, of all things, into Miss Weasley’s things in Diagon Alley? And then the Heir had happened, and Harry was curious. He wanted to know about Ginny and the diary, and also find out what was happening with the Chamber of Secrets, and one of those was immediately possible. After she gave him the diary, the bags under her eyes disappeared. Her dorm mates reported she slept better than she had since the beginning of term, and the twins were relieved to announce she’d actually  _ hit  _ George the other day. She hadn’t done that since they’d left the Burrow for the Express. 

What he knows about the item? Exactly what he told Professor Snape: it appears to have the ability to control minds, was causing a classmate distress, and he couldn’t find any  _ good  _ reason for such a thing to exist at a school, so he turned the thing in and wanted nothing more to do with it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> so Halloween's coming...  
> off to find a costume that'll fit me and still be comfortable....  
> enjoy your chapter dudes...  
> if you've got any questions about Dumbledore's attitude in this one comment and I'll try not to spoil what's remaining of this fic's plot


	13. Year's End Approaches

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> sorry it's later than usual dudes.   
> Headmaster Dumbledore is finally deposed.

The year reaches Christmas with no great disaster occurring. With the diary safely in the professors’ hands, there is no one to petrify the students and terrorize the school. However, the new issue as had been reported to Harry was that the professors were divided as to what to do with the diary. Funnily enough, no one had brought the thing up in a public capacity until Harry mentioned to Professor Flitwick that he thought it odd no one was being warned in the public outside of the school. The Ravenclaws had done well enough with spreading it internally and out through their graduated friends, but there was nothing in the papers or in any official notices. At the least there ought to be warnings about sentient, malevolent objects, sir?

Flitwick had looked very pale and upset before dismissing Harry and fidgeting off in the direction of the Headmaster’s office.

The real issue in all of this was that the professors wanted the diary and all information about it released to the Aurors and out of the school. Professors Flitwick, McGonagall, and Sinistra headed the movement against the Headmaster, who was insisting that the diary wasn’t as dangerous to the students as they feared, and that the Aurors couldn’t handle it anyway. The teachers argued that his arguments were contradictory. It escalated until Trelawney, in a fearful snit at the thought of such a terrible threat to herself and her students, sent a letter in the post reporting that the Headmaster refused to remove a harmful, mind-altering Dark object into the custody of law enforcement. It was then discovered that without the Headmaster’s permission, anyone who wasn’t a student of faculty member couldn’t enter the grounds of the school. 

As you can imagine, this did not end well for Dumbledore, who was arrested upon his allowance of the Aurors into the school and removed from office. Professor McGonagall rose up in his place and, upon her inspection of her new office, found several disturbing and highly illegal objects stashed in hidden caches in the room. 


	14. The Defense Curse is still alive and kicking!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Basically Lockhart's illegal shit is really easy to prove for a boy with a camera and sleuthing abilities.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here's how I deal with the Blonde Lying Git (tm).

Harry’s second year did end with Lockhart’s removal all the same, however: the man was caught Obliviating a younger student who had found evidence of Lockhart’s lying in his books. The young man was luckily able to escape before the spell hit him, and was able to find a group of Harry’s loyal Ravenclaws to hide with. After hearing a quick recounting of Lockhart’s attempt to curse him, they slipped him some (smuggled) Polyjuice and pointed the man (chest heaving, blond hair in disarray, eyes wild as he skidded around the corner behind them) in the wrong direction before making haste to Harry’s tree. Once the boy was safely ensconced within Harry’s legion, a group of three set off to find the Headmistress while other groups were sent to find, follow, and direct others to Lockhart. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ayyyy, who's that boi??? Is that COLIN CREEVEY???? Merlin's unclipped toenails!!!  
> jk, i love that boi


	15. Final Chapter: Harry goes back to the Dursleys'

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The year ends. Harry doesn't go home, but he does return to the Dursleys'.   
> In time, this will change.

The year ended on the train. Harry’s Ravenclaws had successfully seduced the young Gryffindor spy (with his trusty, evidence-filled camera) and Ginny Weasley, now aware of Percy’s true loyalty, to his legion. Two arrests were made: Albus Dumbledore, for endangering of students, possession of illegal artefacts, and resistance to arrest (he attempted to flee from the tallest tower, but was stopped with a modified, full-body Bubble-Head charm and Incarcerous) and Gilderoy Lockhart, for committing fraud of glory against several fellow witches and wizards and for attempting to curse a witness, as well as on counts of different crimes listed on the evidence they found in his trunks and office. Minerva McGonagall was Headmistress. The Chamber of Secrets was never opened, and Ginny’s diary was safely locked away in the Auror Department for containment and study. Harry was going back to the Dursleys’ with Lilla. 

Life went on.

**END OF YEAR TWO: CHAMBER OF SECRETS**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We are at the end of this one, folks! Be on the lookout for PoA's fic soon, a week from the epilogue's posting (which will not be a real chapter, per se, just more of my notes) which will probably be tomorrow. ;)


	16. Epilogue: Loyalty For Harry

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The list of Harry's allies, as promised!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My dudes, this is so late and I don't know how to apologize. There's no real excuse, besides:  
> 1\. Halloween celebration  
> 2\. I was sick with something that gave me terrible stomach pains and exhaustion  
> 3\. My great-grandmother is very old and was recently re-admitted to the hospital and hospice care because she is refusing to eat or receive life support.  
> Anyway, here it is. Look for the coming PoA fic being posted! :)

Harry’s allies so far:

-Ravenclaws

-Hufflepuffs

-Percy and Ginny Weasley

-Hermione Granger

-Colin Creevey

-Draco Malfoy (tentatively, for power reasons), Lucius Malfoy (tentatively, for power reasons)

-Luna Lovegood

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In about a week I'll post PoA chapter one.

**Author's Note:**

> Don't forget that comments are great! :D


End file.
